FINDINGS - 從宗教與非宗教的角度探討泰國人工作的意義

This chapter is designed to present the findings of the coding analysis. The impact of religious/ non-religious factors influences the meaning of work is transcribed from each of the interview questions and presented. The following chapter associates with answering the independent research question:

Question : What are the influences on Thai people’s meaning of working under religious and non-religious perspectives?

(Non) Religion influences on meaning of work

The concept of cultures and religious beliefs were the main foundation of this study. From the initial finding’s analysis, the responses were distributed according to the religious perspective vs. a non-religious perspective. In this study, a total of 14 respondents of non-religious were selected, while 16 of the respondents were religious and had faith in Buddhism. In studying the interview, the factor of earning money, self-development, valuable to the society, passion, avoid being a burden to the family, obligations to family, and sense of achievement have been notable factors in a majority of the interviewed respondent.

This section presents the open coding for the interview data collected. The interview is collected and transcribed. Table 4.1. shows the open coding for understanding the meaning of work from the perspective of religious and non-religious employees. Under the aspect of religious and non-religious beliefs, the meaning of work is reviewed. Reviewing the codes from the interview respondents’ answers, the above table 4.1 is generated. The discussion will started from the religious group of participants to the non-religious one, respectively.

Table 4.1. Meaning of Work

Earning money

Earning money is a result of exchanging your time for cash, payment, or a paycheck. You earn money by performing work for someone else, a business owner, employer, or client. In the gig economy, you earn money by performing tasks for others, designing logos, delivering services to customers, or providing some tasks to the customers in exchange for money. You earn money when you trade your time and energy for money. In other words, you work for an hour, you get paid for an hour. It doesn't matter whether you're being paid by the hour or you receive a monthly salary - you're still paid by someone else in exchange for your time and energy. Based on Table 4.1 can be indicated that both two groups of the Religious and Non-religious group have the similar approach towards ‘earning money’ as it appeared in similar tones but somewhat slightly different as indicated from the religious participants answers ;

Mint said : “ To be able to have my own dreamed life, I work, then I earn money, then I would be able to make or create what kind of life I wanted to be.' I guess there is not much pressure or challenge in my current jobs (public sector officer), as it very routine job, but make use to the people in society. I just make it pass smoothly every day, with no much thing to be concerned about, and earn the money' And in the far future ' I'd be able to create my life as I wanted to be.”

Jeejee said : “ To be able to earn money, take care of myself and family, make ends meet, living life that I wanted to have in the future. My job is not that challenging (work as managing admin), but.. at least it does benefits someone out there. Being part to help manage something for a company, is nice. You’d feel great to yourself like you know you are worthy, as it shows how benefits you are and valuable to others..”

As for the non-religious participants answers ;

Jib said : “ Earning money and have your life planned towards the goals, I wanted to have a good life ahead, I mean who doesn’t…But my point is 'before reaching to those goals, money is a tools towards those objectives. It's like 'a bridge' to the fantasy dream that you have planned.”

Page said : “ To earn money in a job that you can do well, I mean you just need to keep progressing and reaching up to the high-level position. Most importantly, is to earn more money, invest, and build up a good family of your own that'd be enough.”

Pomb said : “ To be able to work, earning money and growing up in the ladder of my careers, I just thinking of working as a tools towards my goals, It didn’t mean much to me. As long as it pays you well and it’s enough for your expense style, that would be enough for me. I have many goals to fulfilled, that’s a motivation of hard working.”

We found that mostly the non-religious participants would tend to be thinking about earning money as a drive of passion or more capitalism, individualism spirituals and personal motivations, where karma has been less considered in this group of peoples, and all actions will be conducted directly from what the individuals’ have believed in. While the Religious group of peoples would tend to have the perspective towards ‘earning money’ as more of a ‘work’ that

actions as a great asset to the others. In search of finding the meaningful in their career or purposes in life, the religious group of people is more reluctant to conduct their actions that do no good to the society, as ‘karma has been considered as a core and a reliance in their beliefs, the religious’

would have the attitude towards ‘earning money’ in a way that is more valuable to the society and for public impact where non-religious participants, would tend to be more concerned about their own personal spirituals.

Self-development

Self-development or personal development is taking steps to better yourself, such as by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits. An example of self-development is taking courses at the university to learn new skills and interesting things. In other words, qualities and abilities that help you grow both personally and professionally. Understanding and improving these skills can help you maximize your potential. This process is also known as self-development or personal growth. As refers to the table 4.1 the non-religious group of participants and the religious group of participants tend to have the similar attitudes towards this factor, as to better themselves personally and professionally, but the religious participants tend to have more moderate tone as the answers ;

Bonus said : “ To be able to do a challenging job, a job that you can learn from, a job that interests you and you learn from it every day and make you become a better person. My job is about safety (Airport of Thailand officer) for people so I need to be very careful, be able to take care of myself and parents, and never cause them a burden is my priority.”

Stamp said : “ To be able to work in what you like and very passionate about. So, the outcome will be good. I'd say that job is one factor and the ability to pursuing success is another factor, which equally important. ‘Perseverance’ is the key important here for me, to be perseverance and self-developed as everything keep changing and if you have that sense of keep bettering yourself and soon enough your goals will be not far from reach.”

While from the non-religious participants indicate ;

Fukfang said : “ To be able to earn money and doing what interests you, I like talking with peoples, so 'sales is really my thing’, and when I get my job done, it just feel so right! Well , of

course the more you get yourself a customers, the more you earn. So I couldn’t denied that ' I love the sense of keeping yourself educated and be better in everyday’, it just bring you power and know your self-worth.”

Jaja said : “ To climb up towards the ladder of my careers ' I wanted to see myself growing upwards in the career, I like what I do and I will always be sure to make it good'. As I’ve got a really good team, work in a nice company and I can’t deny that I'd always be responsible for every work, I’ve got assigned and do my best I love what I do and willing to grow forward with it.”

Ohm said : “ Being able to do what you like and good at, I'd always wanted to get promoted and wanted to have a feeling that my current position is secured. Your dedication will make you succeed and keep you on going forward to the career path in higher levels.”

The self-development factor has been answered in a similar context in both of the two groups.

However, it appeared in different manners. The religious participants would tend to be answered in more of a softened tone when stated about this factor. As for the group of non-religion, that has always been driven by their own’ spirituals or individualism factors,’ by having a strong sense of self-achievement is slightly more influential in the context that is like, really willing to improve themselves towards their objectives and goals. There is a very high rate in ‘individualism’ in the non-religious group of people, where the beliefs of knowing their self-worth values are so strong and clear enough. Whereas the religious people would tend to have the values towards their self-development at various levels, some of the people would give their jobs as a day to day basis tasks; clock in-out, earning money, go back home, sleep and repeat. Not much intention in making any significant differences or progress in their careers as strong as compared to the other groups.

In other words, to live each day pass-by with the feeling of slow-paced, stable, that secure would be the tempo for these groups’ beliefs.

Valuable to society

To contribute to the social factor is essential because helping the people and community around you will make your life and the life of those around you better! Significant changes start with little actions. By positively impacting the people and community around us, we can work to build a better society and a better world for everyone. As indicated in table 4.1, both groups of the participants tend to have an attitude towards ‘the valuable to the society factor’ not much in

differences. Still, the religious group of participants would tend to be a little stronger in the sense of this context. As the religious group of participants indicated ;

April said : “ To be able to contribute or do something good for our society. I guess where I coming from is that, It'd be so great if you waking up every day and know that you are self-worth to others, you doing something for peoples in need and be a part, to help the society better in some part. I believe in doing something good and we passionate in and the money factor will come afterward.”

Chaiwat said : “ To know that you are valuable to the society, and to yourself. I like the sense of being ‘a great asset to the society and to yourself’, I believe that what you are doing everyday will sure push you in another level of you growing up.' Not letting just the money factor become your leading option is important ' cause by having your passion in mind and let it lead, you will always enjoy while you at work, and able to cross any obstacles when it come across.

You will be fulfilled that earning money is just another factor that support that.”

Maruay said : “ To be able to use my own capabilities or skills to make use for others, I like when I be able to do some work that make an impact towards people in the society. It’s the thing in your mind that you have and you possess those values and self-worth whenever you wake up and go to work.”

Non said : “ To be able to work and able to use you skills to help the society is like you make good deeds everyday through your works and you also get paid from that, what more could you ask for. The thing is that you only need to make sure, you are doing what is right and ‘you passion about' this will do and make you enjoy every single moment, money will follow after that.”

While the non-religious participants indicated ;

Anne said : “ I wanted to do what I specialize on and expert in, I love the feeling of being ‘valuable to the society and able to keep on progressing my skills in this company'. The job is tough but it’s always teach me something, to become more perseverance, mature and logical on whatever the task hand it to you.”

Mew said : “ To be able to do what I like / passionate about, I like creating ideas, sharing and working in a field of creative agency, knowing that you can create something that impact the society or the world you live in is awesome! Also, I would always keep progressing and learning, as there is much of the competitors and you always need to be well-prepared.”

Contribute something to society or the feeling of being valuable to society is one of the distinguishing factors towards the meaning of work among the two groups in this research. The attitude towards this factor is similar to both groups of participants, but somewhat little bit of different. As the group of the religion would have more clear purpose towards the benefits of the society, as ‘Buddhism principles and karma have been taking into consideration,’ the avoidance of doing something against it or the feeling of guilty are likely to show in a stronger sense. In other words, they would take the public interest, social values, and social contribution into account.

Moreover, Karma can also be considered as one of the influential factors towards the group of peoples as the belief of such thing as ‘what goes around comes around, and doing good to others, will incur good thing to them in the future.’ As a religious group of participants would tend to be more respectful and have more self-awareness of their actions. They are more concerned about the effects that will happen, and if not do it right, their mind won’t be at ease, or afraid that there will be a harmful impact on them in the future. Considering those religious beliefs and avoiding immoral activities or do no harm to others would always be their best interest.

However, the non-religious would have a little less in strongness in the matter, so to speak, as the majority of the answers from the non-religious participants have shown us, that their deep motivations inside are driven by their own personals' spirituals or one individuals' self. As we can see from the non-religious answers, there are a sense of 'not a must thing to do or not a necessary thing to be followed' as it appeared that this factor came from the participants' mindset that based on their best-self-interest, where it is much on individual perspectives and no rules or guidelines to structured, unlike the religious group. They might not consider public, or community benefits as their mandatory things to be done, or other factors might be more dominant than the so-called factor.

45 Passion

Passion can be anything that simultaneously challenges you, intrigues you, and motivates you. Contrary to the idea that doing what you love makes work effortless, a passion puts you to work. It's what you're willing to sacrifice lesser leisure and pleasures for. Passion for work is the intense enthusiasm and excitement for what you do. It can be the difference between doing it and getting it done well. Being excited about your Monday's the way many people are only thrilled about Fridays, it can be the difference between enjoying your job and struggling it. By collecting a participants' answers based on table 4.1, it was founded that Passion has been one of the factors that those two groups spoke about and in a similar tone of responses, as the religious participants would answer in the interview ;

Keng said : “ To be able to ‘love’ what you do and ‘better do it good’. This will give you a great result/ outcome, as loving it you will put your heart into it.' being a right person, suit for the job and be able to handle your own matters well, get your life together, save money, and taking care of yourself and parents when needed.”

Where the non-religious participants indicated ;

Bee said : “ Doing what you like and passion about, you have that motivation on your work and everything will go well, even though there is obstacles, you will be willing to give your wholeheart in to it. You'd get pass through it somehow. Once you like your jobs, then you'd be able to keep developing yourself to be better, I believe that no matter what, the ability to choose the jobs that based on your passion is essential cause you will be willing to sacrifice yourself along the way in the long run.”

Fiat said : “ To be able to work at the jobs that you passion at, you will feel so good every time you wake up and ready to tackle you day with no excuse, bad mood. You’d position your work as a hobby not a job and trust me ‘you will never feel like forcing yourself anymore’. Do what you like and let the passion leads you.”

We can see that people base themselves and their passion for how to choose the jobs, many participants believe that ‘passion’ should be a key indicator for determining their careers or jobs.

In terms of a religious group of participants, they were giving a sense of, having their passion

determining the jobs, but less in a strong sense about this matters. That it would be in a sense like go to tackle their jobs and finish it, position their job as a routine work to earn money, reach their goals, and done. Example as such, some of the participants from the religious group would tend to possess that ideas, showing the unnecessities to push themselves too hard even if their passion is so strong. However, in a context of the participants in a non-religious group, that they potentially based their works/jobs on their passion as more intense, their passion and self were driven by their own motivations so strong, that is not much to be a limited rule about it and the facts that majority of the answers will touch the word ‘do what I like, interest in, passion at’ rather than just a ‘necessary thing to do, earn money, finish the job, or getting the jobs done’ and make

在文檔中從宗教與非宗教的角度探討泰國人工作的意義 (頁 45-58)